Cork are expecting a difficult challenge from Clare when the sides meet this Saturday in the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship.
The Rebelettes come into the tie on the back off a comprehensive 2-16 0-09 opening game win over Waterford. Cork boss, Paudie Murray told The Clare Herald he is looking for his side to be more disciplined this weekend.
“Our discipline wasn’t what it should have been, we gave away needless frees the last day so that is an area that would concern me in a way. Our workrate wasn’t it should be either, granted it was our first game but I would certainly consider it to be below par so they’re two areas we’d be looking at”. He was satisfied with how well they did in front of goal. “2-16 is going to win most matches and hitting those figures we’ve a chance of winning every game that we go out”.
Now in his fifth year in charge, Murray is familiar with coming up against Clare. “I’m well used to playing Clare and I expect the same thing nearly that I’ve got in every game that I’ve been involved against them, they will be very difficult, there’s very little between the sides always, I expect nothing different on Saturday”.
Having won two All-Ireland titles in the last two years, the obvious thing to suggest is that Cork aim to replicate that success a win a third title on the bounce. However Paudie Murray feels a lot needs to be done if they’re to get back to that level.
“To be honest it’s not even in the radar at the moment, I think we’re a long way off it, we haven’t been going well and I can point to a number of things from the start of the year so I’m not overly happy with where we are today, maybe we’re in the same position as where we were last year but we should massive improvement during the championship last year but that’s very hard to repeat two years running”.
He continued “All we’re concentrating on now is winning next Saturday because it’s a very tricky group, Offaly will be no pushovers, we have Wexford away and we’ve Limerick at home so it’s a tricky assignment and we’re really looking at quarter-final stage and just trying to qualify for that”.
It’s a hectic period for all inter-county camogie teams with four group games remaining in as many weeks, Paudie feels a better schedule should be put in place. “I’ve been on record as saying it’s badly planned, they’re amateur players they all have to go to work Monday morning, I would say we’re no different to Clare and Limerick where we’ve a number of dual-players, you look at the management aswell it’s our free time. I’m involved with the Intermediates aswell so I think I’ve nine weekends on the trot which is not easy”.
“I think the other thing is and I’m not certain how things are in Clare but there can’t be much of a difference, it doesn’t give clubs much of an opportunity over the next five weeks and there were two or three weeks there aswell so you could be looking at two months and they mightn’t see their players” Murray concluded.
Clare play Cork in Pairc Uí Rinn this Saturday at 14:30.